PMQ Pizza Magazine June/July 2020

PIZZA MAGAZINE T H E W O R L D ' S A U T H O R I T Y O N P I Z Z A | P M Q . C O M | P I Z Z AT V. C O M

JUNE/JULY 2020

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There’s a love story behind every pizza shop.

At Little Pops NY Pizzeria, Mike and Vicki Nelson use theirs to build a lasting bond with customers—and to sell more pizza.

PAGE 36

PEPPERONI 46

SOCIAL MEDIA 52

ICE MACHINES 60

The Perfect Start to a Delicious Caputo Summer

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PIZZA MAGAZINE T H E W O R L D ' S A U T H O R I T Y O N P I Z Z A | P M Q . C O M | P I Z Z AT V. C O M

JUNE/JULY 2020

There’s a love story behind every pizza shop.

At Little Pops NY Pizzeria, Mike and Vicki Nelson use theirs to build a lasting bond with customers—and to sell more pizza.

PAGE 36

PEPPERONI 46

SOCIAL MEDIA 52

ICE MACHINES 60

WHEN YOU’RE MAKING A THOUSAND DECISIONS A DAY, IT FEELS GOOD KNOWING ONE INGREDIENT ISN’T DEBATABLE. JUST GO WITH THE BEST. END OF DISCUSSION. What’s your declaration of independence?

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FEATURED STORY NIKO FRANGOS: HOW TO PREPARE FOR REOPENING YOUR PIZZA RESTAURANT States nationwide have begun to ease restrictions on dine-in service at restaurants, but that doesn’t mean business will return to “normal” anytime soon. In fact, it’s the “new normal”—from reduced capacity and social distancing between tables to creating value for customers during a period of high unemployment—that pizzeria operators need to be thinking about. We asked Niko Frangos of Rascal House, an elevated quick-service pizza restaurant company in Cleveland, Ohio, to share his three-pronged strategy that anyone can use to hit the ground running when it’s time to reopen for dine-in.

P M Q . C O M / R EO P EN I N G P LAN

ALSO ON PMQ.COM

WILL BUSINESS INTERRUPTION INSURANCE COVER A RESTAURANT’S PANDEMIC LOSSES? Health concerns abound these days for employees and customers alike, and insurance issues will likely arise for restaurateurs. Erik Josowitz of InsuranceQuotes.com answers some common questions about restaurant insurance and liability.

PMQ.COM/BUSINESSINTERRUPTIONINSURANCE

NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL SETS CAP ON THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY FEES Following San Francisco’s lead, the New York City Council in May imposed a cap on fees and commissions that thirdparty platforms like Grubhub, DoorDash and UberEats can charge restaurants during the pandemic.

PMQ.COM/NYCTHIRDPARTYFEES

SHOULD RESTAURANT GUESTS HAVE TO SIGN A HEALTH DECLARATION FORM?

CHUCK E. CHEESE GETS TRICKY BY SELLING PIZZA ONLINE UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME

A Hong Kong-based hospitality company has some suggestions for how American restaurateurs should reopen for business— including a “health declaration form” all guests must sign before they can enter the restaurant.

Does Chuck E. Cheese have a secret identity? Not anymore, thanks to a Reddit user in Philadelphia who discovered that the kid-friendly dine-in chain was quietly doing business on Grubhub under the name Pasqually’s Pizza & Wings.

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6 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

IN THIS ISSUE

JUNE/JULY FEATURES

ON COVTHE ER

36

The Never-Ending Story

The story of your pizzeria is as important as your pizza, maybe more important. Learn how Mike and Vicki Nelson of Little Pops NY Pizzeria use storytelling as an all-purpose marketing tool to bond with customers—and how you can do the same.

(Cover photo by Michael Nelson)

46

Tender ‘Roni

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The Art of Connection

60

Breaking the Ice

BELLISSIMO CHICKEN WINGS Increase Sales With This Satisfying Starter Bellissimo makes a lasting first impression with its easy-to-cook and quick-to-serve Chicken Wings. This profitable starter can be fried or oven baked resulting in a deliciously crunchy coating. Bellissimo Chicken Wings set the table to make sure your customers keep coming back.

Bellissimo offers a full line of par-fried and fully-cooked chicken items. Bellissimo distributors are the exclusive source for Bellissimo Chicken Wings.

Visit Bellissimo.com to contact a representative and request samples and pricing.

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IN THIS ISSUE

A Publication of PMQ, Inc. 662-234-5481 Volume 24, Issue 5 June/July 2020 ISSN 1937-5263

JUNE/JULY DEPARTMENTS

PUBLISHER Steve Green, sg@pmq.com ext. 123 CO-PUBLISHER Linda Green, linda.pmq@gmail.com ext. 121 EDITOR IN CHIEF Rick Hynum, rick@pmq.com ext. 130 ART DIRECTOR Eric Summers, eric@pmq.com ext. 134

12 14 18 30 98

In Lehmann’s Terms: 5 Tips for a Better DELCO Pizza

As demand for delivery and carryout soars, it’s important to know how to keep your pies dry and crispy—and the Dough Doctor has the answers.

Accounting For Your Money: How to Optimize Your Chances for PPP Loan Forgiveness

To turn your PPP loan into “free money,” you’ll need to follow the rules carefully and keep meticulous records of how you spent the funds.

SENIOR COPY EDITOR Tracy Morin, tracy@pmq.com IT DIRECTOR Cory Coward, cory@pmq.com ext. 133 DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH Blake Harris, blake@pmq.com ext. 136 TEST CHEF/USPT COORDINATOR Brian Hernandez, brian@pmq.com ext. 129 SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Ingrid Valbuena, ingrid@pmq.com ext. 137 FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER David Fischer, david@pmq.com CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Shawn Brown, shawn@pmq.com

Think Tank: Should I Hire an Outside Company to Manage My Social Media?

Members of the Think Tank recommend a do-it-yourself approach to ensure your social media accounts reflect your pizzeria’s true personality.

ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Linda Green, linda.pmq@gmail.com ext. 121 SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Tom Boyles, tom@pmq.com ext. 122 SALES ASSISTANT Brandy Pinion, brandy@pmq.com ext. 127 PMQ INTERNATIONAL

Tips from the Team: How to Retain Your Best Employees

U.S. Pizza Team member Kyle Rosch details how to create an environment that makes your employees want to come to work every day.

PMQ CHINA Yvonne Liu, yvonne@pmq.com PMQ RUSSIA Vladimir Davydov, vladimir@pmq.com PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE 605 Edison St. • Oxford, MS 38655 662.234.5481 • 662.234.0665 Fax

Pizza Hall of Fame: Colony Grill

These four boyhood pals took over their favorite hometown pizzeria in 2010 and expanded it to four additional locations—with more in the works.

IN EVERY ISSUE 6 Online @ PMQ 20 Moneymakers 26 Eyes on the Chains 60 SmartMarket

PMQ Pizza Magazine (ISSN #1937-5263) is published 10 times per year.

64 Marketing Idea Zone 66 Product Spotlight 68 The Pizza Exchange

10 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

Cost of U.S. subscription is $25 per year. International $35.

Periodical postage pricing paid at Oxford, MS. Additional mailing offices at Bolingbrook, IL. Postmaster: Send address changes to: PMQ Pizza Magazine, PO Box 9, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-9953.

Opinions expressed by the editors and contributing writers are strictly their own, and are not necessarily those of the advertisers. All rights reserved. No portion of PMQ may be reproduced in whole or part without written consent.

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IN LEHMANN’S TERMS

5 TIPS FOR A BETTER DELCO PIZZA Q A

We are a dine-in pizzeria forced to offer delivery and carryout (DELCO) for the first time due to the pandemic. How can we make our pizzas suitable for DELCO without changing our dough formulation?

There are a number of changes that can be easily implemented to improve the quality of your pizza under the conditions to which they are being subjected.

1. Baking the pizzas for a longer time will help to provide a drier pizza with a potentially crispier crust once your customer gets the pizza home.

2. Consider trying one of the boards/mats designed to hold the pizza off the bottom of the box. They allow air to circulate under the pizza and help prevent sweating, which results in a wet or soggy bottom on your pizzas.

3. Although you might be pressed for time in getting the pizza cut and boxed, remember to place the oven-hot pizza on a screen or rack to “steam off ” for about 30 seconds before boxing it. Nothing good comes from trapping all that steam in the box with the pizza.

12 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

Steam and sweat can lower the quality of a DELCO pizza. Fortunately, the Dough Doctor knows some tricks for keeping your pies dry and crispy.

BY TOM LEHMANN

4. Speaking of pizza boxes, make sure your boxes have steam vents and that they are punched open when you put the pizza inside the box.

5. If DELCO is just a temporary strategy for you while the pandemic lasts, consider using pizza bags with a corrugated pizza circle as opposed to pizza boxes. You may find them to be cheaper and easier to store than boxes.

How about some good news? As the pandemic rages on, your customers are making a dedicated trip to your store to pick up their order, and they will most likely return straight home rather than running other errands along the way. That means your pizzas are not being subjected to a long dwell time in a humid environment, which is so harmful to pizza quality. So if your pizzas are already fine-tuned for DELCO, they are likely faring better than usual during these hard times. And even if your pizzas are not particularly wellsuited for DELCO, they still might be faring better than you think!

Additionally, many customers have more time on their hands now, so they are generally more receptive to taking extra steps that they might not usually take. For instance, when you or your staff get a phone-in order, offer the customer a bit of advice for freshening up the pie when they get it home. Tell them to heat their oven to 300°F and place the pizza inside for just a couple of minutes before eating it. This can do wonders to refresh and dry off the top of the pizza, making for an improved pizza experience. You can also provide written instructions on a flyer attached to the box or placed in the bag.

One last note: Since local stay-home orders went into effect, I’ve been experimenting with carryout pizzas that we buy from local shops. It takes about 20 minutes to get a pizza back to my house, so the pizza takes a sweat bath in the box. These pizzas are boxed with a corrugated pizza circle underneath. I have found that I can safely remove the pizza from the box while keeping it on the circle. Then I place it in the 300°F oven (still on the circle) and heat it for three minutes, resulting in a significant improvement in pizza quality. I can’t say for sure that this will work for your pizzas, but it’s certainly worth a try!

Tom Lehmann was the longtime director of bakery assistance for the American Institute of Baking (AIB) and is now a pizza industry consultant.

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ACCOUNTING FOR YOUR MONEY

HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR CHANCES FOR PPP LOAN FORGIVENESS It can take up to five months to determine if you’re eligible for loan forgiveness, so make the job as easy as possible for lenders and the government. BY MICHAEL RASMUSSEN

Q A

How long does it take to determine if I qualify for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness?

At the time of this writing, the period to determine the forgiveness amount of a PPP loan is eight weeks, starting on the date of disbursement of funds from the lender. That period might have been extended by the time you read this.

Regardless, in general the borrower must submit a loan forgiveness application to their lender, who has 60 days to determine the amount of forgiveness based on borrower records and recommend a forgiveness amount to the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA then has 90 days to review the lender’s calculations and agree or disagree with the forgiveness calculations.

This process includes contacting the borrower directly as well as with working with the lender to confirm the claims submitted by the borrower. If only a portion of the PPP loan is forgiven, or if the forgiveness request is denied, any remaining balance due must be repaid by the borrower on or

14 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

before the two-year maturity of the initial loan.

To optimize your chances for loan forgiveness, do the work for them. Keep clear documentation on how your PPP loan money was spent. Make sure all PDFs, spreadsheets and notes are easy to read and organized in such a way that any lender or government official can follow your “treasure map” to a forgiveness calculation. SBA has provided a list of documents that they are expecting to review, and you must confirm those with the lender, since, per the SBA, “the lender is responsible for notifying the borrower of the forgiveness amount.”

Since it will take a good five months for the lender and the SBA to determine your eligibility for loan forgiveness, it’s important to stay focused on your business and day-today operations and serving your customer base. If possible, you should assign your estimated PPP loan forgiveness calculation to competent advisors and focus your attention on your new restaurant business model!

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Q: Are the rules for PPP loans and loan forgiveness set in stone?

A: No, in fact, they’re changing all the time. Whenever a borrower submits a loan application or applies for loan forgiveness, the SBA and U.S. Treasury Department websites display the existing guidelines for the process. These are the governing rules at the time of submission, but the SBA continues to update its guidance almost daily. With this in mind, a borrower involved in any of the CARES Act programs must keep copies of both their applications and, whenever practical, the rules that existed at that date.

For PMQ subscribers and my existing CPA client base, I have created a daily video broadcast at cpastraighttalk.com. Here, I have been documenting the rules that I can locate as they change from day to day. I scour more than 40 websites for daily information on the CARES Act programs and briefly discuss in the videos how the latest info will impact your applications.

For example, the SBA clarified on May 19, 2020, that any borrower who received a PPP loan with an original principal amount of less than $2 million will be deemed to have made the required certification for the necessity of the loan request in good faith. What led to this new guidance? Not surprisingly, some businesses with no employees applied for fraudulent loans.

Since more than 4.5 million PPP loans had been issued as of May 26, 2020, Congress has been pressed for resources to enforce its loan certification standards. Prior to this new updated guidance, small business owners who received loans of less than $2 million had been under a deadline to return the monies immediately or face the possibility that SBA or Treasury agents might knock on their doors and demand proof that they really needed the loans.

According to the new guidelines, as long as you needed the monies to retain employees, you have complied with the spirit of the CARES Act.

16 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

Michael Rasmussen has been contributing to PMQ for more than 15 years. You can visit his website, hitechcpa.com, for additional insight into restaurant-specific tax strategies, accounting and technology programs.

H I TE C H C PA . C OM

T H E T H I N K TA N K

SHOULD I HIRE AN OUTSIDE COMPANY TO MANAGE MY SOCIAL MEDIA? Think Tankers recommend a do-it-yourself approach to maintaining your pizzeria’s Facebook and Instagram presence. mrschleg: Does anyone here use an outside company to manage their social media? We have been kicking the idea around a bit lately. While that’s probably expensive and it could be handled by a kid in the store, there just never seems to be enough time to get it done. If you work with an outside company, is it worth it?

December: I used an outside company a few years back for three months. It was a waste of money, with canned responses and posts that didn’t match our style of pizza. Considering the time I spent calling them to modify corny posts and edit responses, I could have done it myself.

Jimmy D: I do it myself, and we do very well on Facebook. Find a kid that’s interested if you don’t want to do it yourself and work with them. Just make sure you approve posts if you give them control over your page.

Rico: The problem with outside parties is that they are too generic. They don’t know your personality. You want to create

a bond with your followers and show your character. Yes, it does get overwhelming to come up with content. I used an outside company a couple of years ago and dropped them.

They were expensive, and I still had to come up with content and offers for them, so it still took up my time. I recommend focusing on Facebook and Instagram. Just get into the habit of taking pictures throughout the day. Ask your employees to send you a picture if they think something they just made looks delicious enough to be posted. Start by posting every three or four days just to keep your followers engaged. Be yourself when posting—show your personality. With Facebook, you can schedule your posts, so you can do it anytime you like. For Instagram, if you already have the pictures, it takes a maximum of five minutes to post one. I’m sure you can find five minutes.

The problem is remembering to do it. It doesn’t take as long as you think to manage social media. Go into work a half-hour early if you need to. Social media isn’t meant to drive your business—use it to get the word out so that you stay on top of everyone’s mind and, when they’re thinking of ordering pizza, they’ll think of you.

Get answers to your most perplexing problems and swap tips and ideas with the experts in PMQ’s Think Tank, the pizza industry’s oldest and most popular online forum. Register for free at thinktank.pmq.com. (Member posts have been edited here for clarity.)

T H I N K TAN K.P MQ .C O M

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DEADPOOL TO THE RESCUE

In a graduation speech to his former high school, actor Ryan Reynolds, star of the hit Deadpool films, promised free large pizzas from Nat’s New York Pizzeria to all 385 seniors.

While so many restaurants struggled to stay in business during the pandemic this spring, Nat’s New York Pizzeria in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, had a little help from a superhero—or, at least, a famous actor who plays one in the movies. Ryan Reynolds, star of two hit Deadpool films, grew up eating at Nat’s while attending Kitsilano Secondary School in Vancouver. In a speech he shot on video for his former school’s graduating class, Reynolds urged the students to “practice some form of compassion every day.” He followed that up with a text announcement at the end of the video: “Oh, and I miss Nat’s Pizzeria. Every grad gets one large pizza on me!” Nat Bastone, who owns the pizzeria, got word from Reynolds about the giveaway a few days ahead of time, the Daily Hive reported. Bastone needed the advance warning, since Kitsilano’s graduating class consisted of 385 students.

If every graduate took up Reynolds’ offer, the order would likely come to around $10,000, Bastone said.

SELLING COOKIES IN A SNAP! Snappy Tomato Pizza, with 47 locations in five states, earned a merit badge in good pizza marketing for helping the Girl Scouts sell their cookies during the coronavirus lockdown.

The chain purchased 2,400 boxes—or 200 cases—of cookies from the Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road and the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio and gave them away with any purchase of $25 or more. The Girl Scouts traditionally rely on the nationwide cookie fundraiser to support a wide range of year-round events and activities but had to shut direct sales down because of the coronavirus outbreak. “The moment we heard about the Girl Scouts’ dilemma, with their inability to sell cookies door-to-door, we knew we needed to help,” said Andy Ritter, Snappy Tomato’s director of marketing. Haleigh McGraw, communications director for Girl Scouts of Kentucky’s Wilderness Road, said Snappy Tomato had set “a wonderful example.” She added, “Thinking ‘out-of-the-cookie-box’ with actions of caring such as these are the essence of what we strive to instill in our young ladies.”

The coronavirus outbreak this spring cut short the selling season for Girl Scout Cookies, but Snappy Tomato Pizza pitched in to help.

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Salvatore’s Old Fashioned Pizzeria featured an upbeat little girl named Francesca in an instructional video for its make-your-own pizza kits and to promote its coloring contest for kids.

THE COLOR OF MONEY How do you keep the kiddos entertained—and out of your hair—while you’re working at home during a pandemic? Salvatore’s Old Fashioned Pizzeria, with almost 30 locations in New York state, gave them coloring pages and other fun activities for a contest that offered free pizza as the prize. Salvatore’s posted many of the entries on its Facebook page to encourage engagement and shares. Additionally, for its make-your-own pizza kits, Salvatore’s created an instructional video featuring a cheerful little girl named Francesca going through the steps of making a pie (with a little help from her mom). The company also bought up the remaining inventory of Girl Scout Cookies from a local troop after their selling season was cut short by the pandemic—and then gave the treats away to frontline workers. Finally, the company emphasized value deals for families, touting coupons for its large pizzas at a price of $15 or “only 94 cents a slice” and its Giant Sheet Pizza for $25 or “only 78 cents a slice.”

PAY-IT-FORWARD CONCEPT TAKES ROOT The Cabin, located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, planted a “pay-it-forward tree” to help anyone in need during the coronavirus pandemic. Like many other pizzeria operators, co-owners Angela Nguyen and John Hunter started off delivering free food to nursing homes, fire departments, and even lowwage workers at convenience stores. The Cabin also fed workers at a local Meijer supercenter and the employees at the Nimkee Clinic, which serves the local Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe reservation. But as employee layoffs and furloughs worsened, they decided to take it one step further.

Customers were invited to donate pizza and other food to anyone in need by purchasing gift cards, which are placed on the pay-it-forward tree.

Anyone could call in and make a purchase using one of the donated gift cards—no questions asked.

Donated gift cards on The Cabin’s pay-itforward tree can be used to buy family meals, individual items or anything else on the menu.

22 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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Gabriel Pizza’s cheese and green olive pizza pays tribute to seven-year-old Ollie Pickering, who was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma in late 2019.

A PIZZA JUST FOR OLLIE Ottowa pizza chain Gabriel Pizza honored a local boy with cancer by naming his favorite pizza after him—and donating part of its sales to a local charity. Ollie’s Pizza features cheese and green olives, and Ollie Pickering has been craving it ever since he found himself stuck in a hospital with anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Now his favorite pie helps raise funds for Candlelighters, a nonprofit that supports children with cancer and their families. “We were truly touched by Ollie’s love for our green olive pizza,” Gabriel Pizza president George Hanna said.

“Ollie and the entire family have become honorary members of our Gabe’s family.” Jocelyn Lamont, Candlelighter’s executive director, said the Ollie’s Pizza fundraiser “is going to impact families of children with cancer right across the region.”

A NEW KIND OF PIZZA JOINT A marijuana dispensary in Corvallis, Oregon, has all the angles covered—owner Christian Jancila will give you the munchies and the pizza to cure them in one delivery. Marie Jane’s Cannabis Connection started delivering housemade pizza with its weed this spring, offering a selection of 14” signature combo pies, although customers can also “roll their own” from a variety of toppings. Jancila recruited Ed Barbeau, owner of Pisano’s Wood Fired Pizza in Bend, Oregon, to develop the recipes. “My No. 1 priority is to supply all the ingredients customers need to make memorable moments, even if the memories of those moments are a little fuzzy,” Jancila said. “Good pizza is nice, but not memorable. Our goal was to come out of the gate offering the best pizza in town. With Ed’s help, we’re doing exactly that.”

The pizzas offered by Marie Jane’s Cannabis Connection are described as “Pacific Northwest-style,” with a crust that’s “thin in the middle [and] light, crisp and airy on the outside” and a sauce that’s “elegant and understated.”

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EYE ON THE CHAINS

CPK MARKET OFFERS GROCERIES AND MEAL KITS The coronavirus pandemic has prompted California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) to move into the meal kit and grocery business in a big way. In early April, the Playa Vista, California-based chain introduced CPK Market, which provides specialty meal kits as well as pantry and grocery items to customers who can no longer enjoy the dine-in restaurant experience.

“Given that the entire country is dining differently and family mealtime is more important than ever, establishing a concept where guests could confidently purchase affordable produce, meat and other essential pantry items was the best way we felt we could attend to [their] immediate needs,” said Ashley Ceraolo, CPK’s senior vice president of marketing.

Several of CPK’s new meal kits were spring-themed and featured roasted salmon, panroasted chicken and grilled rib eye. Year-round options include the Lettuce Wrap Kit (lettuce cups, Asian-inspired lettuce wrap sauce, green onions, shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts and chicken) and the Taco Kit (a choice of flap steak, mahi or chicken with cilantro, limes, Roma tomatoes, serrano peppers, yellow onions, black beans, shredded cheese and tortillas). CPK Market also offers build-your-own pepperoni and cheese pizza kits for kids.

Also available from CPK Market are dairy and pantry staples (eggs, rice, flour, sugar and milk); raw produce (avocados, blueberries, Granny Smith apples, limes, oranges, pineapples and more); raw meat (flap beef, rib eye, Italian chicken sausage, salmon, mahi and shrimp); dry pastas and sauces; bread, chips and crackers; and desserts (key lime pie, red velvet cake, brownies and more).

Customers can also choose from a selection of beers—including Modelo Especial, Newcastle Brown Ale and Stella Artois—and wines like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Riesling and others. They can place their orders online or onsite and pick up the bagged groceries at curbside or at the cash register, and select CPK Market locations will offer at-home delivery.

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EYE ON THE CHAINS

JONATHAN TAYLOR HEDGES HIS BETS WITH TOPPERS PIZZA Former Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor, one of college football’s alltime leading rushers, has a potentially lucrative NFL career ahead of him, but he knows one injury can put him on the sidelines for life. So Taylor, who was drafted in April by the Indianapolis Colts, has also bought into four Madison locations of Toppers Pizza, ranked as one of the top 200 food-based franchises by Entrepreneur Magazine in 2018. Taylor, who was the first player in NCAA history to rush for more than 6,000 yards in a three-year span, was a unanimous firstteam All-American in 2018 and 2019 and won the Doak Walker Award for the top running back in college football. “The biggest thing that drew me to the [Toppers] organization was how friendly and open they were, inviting me to the team,” Taylor said in a statement. “When you meet the Toppers home office team, you get a warm, welcoming feeling. It’s like a family member that you see during the holidays that you can’t wait to spend time with. That family atmosphere is going to help me stay connected to Madison.”

PERMISSION TO EAT PIZZA WITH A FORK Marco’s Pizza says it’s the first national pizza delivery brand to roll out crustfree pizza bowls for customers adhering to high-protein, low-carb diets. The Toledo, Ohio-based chain debuted its Specialty Pizza Bowls as a permanent part of the menu in March. They come in three varieties—Deluxe, All-Meat and Garden—at a suggested price of $8.49. The company says the bowls reflect the portion of a medium specialty pizza. “The Specialty Pizza Bowl is everything you love about pizza minus the crust,” said Marco’s senior vice president and chief experience officer Steve Seyferth in a press release. “With more than one-fourth of the population tossing and wasting the crust of pizza and the popularization of [food] bowls, this product is an ideal fit. Marco’s gives you permission to eat pizza with a fork.”

28 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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TIPS FROM THE TEAM

HOW TO RETAIN YOUR BEST EMPLOYEES

DANIEL PEREA

According to Kyle Rosch of Brenen’s Restaurant Group, it all starts with creating a welcoming, positive culture and setting—and enforcing—standards. BY BRIAN HERNANDEZ Attaining and retaining quality employees is one of the key ingredients to running a successful business. But it has become increasingly difficult in the restaurant industry to find these diamonds in the rough. Unless they are truly happy, odds are that your gems will end up in a rival’s hands sooner or later.

U.S. Pizza Team member Kyle Rosch of Brenen’s Restaurant Group—a Durham, North Carolina-based company that oversees Brenz Pizza Co., Enzo Pizza Co. and Il Forno Italian Kitchen—has given this matter an abundance of thought. Rosch sat down with me to explain how he has created a comfortable— and motivating—environment for his employees in several concepts throughout North Carolina and beyond.

Hernandez: Why are employee relations so important these days?

Rosch: When it comes down to it, your employees are the lifeblood of your business. As an owner, general manager or manager, you will never be the one taking all the orders, answering all the phones, and cooking and delivering all the food. You need to develop a great culture in your business so that employees are on the same page and have the same goals

and mentality. This is absolutely crucial for making sure your business runs like you want it to in your absence and for your long-term success.

Hernandez: Does a strong employee relations strategy affect employee retention, or will they come and go regardless?

Rosch: At the end of the day, most everyone wants to do a good job. If they’re working in a business that values them and gives them the tools to be successful, along with positive affirmation, they’re going to want to come to work. You don’t want them to be counting the hours until the shift ends. Building that culture in your restaurant will most definitely lead to a higher retention rate in the long term. Also, some of our best employees have come from referrals by current employees. No one wants to refer someone that is going to be bad at the job.

That reflects poorly on them, so referrals are usually some of the best employees you will find. But as marketing guru Tom Feltenstein says, you have to go through about six turkeys before you can find that one eagle.

30 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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When disciplining an employee, Kyle Rosch says owners should also consider their own role in the problem.

Hernandez: You’ve mentioned the “pyramid effect.” Can you explain that and how it applies to our discussion?

Rosch: I think it’s better termed as “triangular hospitality.” It’s a concept I learned from Cameron Mitchell at the Mid-America Restaurant Expo in Columbus, Ohio. At the top of the triangle are the owners and managers. At one of the bottom corners are your employees who laterally deal with your customers (on the opposite point of the triangle). For example, a manager has a direct relationship with the employees. They train them and give them the tools they need to be successful. The employees have the direct relationship with our customers. We rely on them to take care of the customers the way the company needs. The customers, in turn, take care of us at the top of the triangle with return business, word-of-mouth and brand loyalty. Then we, again, take care of our employees, and the cycle continues on.

Hernandez: For those who are just starting out in the pizza restaurant business, what do they need to know to start forming great relationships with their staff right off the bat?

Rosch: You have to develop a plan. Build a training platform and a code of ethics. You need to define exactly how you want your customers treated when you’re not around. From there, it’s leading by example. Take your top 10 tenets [of good service] and make posters and place them around the kitchen so they’re always visible. But always be watching, both your managers and employees. Talk with them. If you see an issue, give them 80% affirmation, but 20% constructive criticism: “Hey, you’re doing great, but I noticed you did this. Perhaps try doing it this way.”

“Make your restaurant a fun, welcoming environment to work in, and you will have happy employees that produce happy customers, which, in turn, leads to happy owners.”

— KYLE ROSCH, BRENEN’S RESTAURANT GROUP Hernandez: What’s the best way to manage disciplinary actions without damaging employee relations?

Rosch: It’s definitely a case-by-case basis, depending on how serious the issue is. But set your standards, whether it’s a three-strike policy, written or verbal warnings, etc. After the first infraction, you sit them down and explain to them what they did that wasn’t in line with your standards. Have them sign something saying you’ve had a discussion, and then talk about what you’re going to do to remedy it going forward.

In that same breath, I’m also looking at myself as an owner, asking, “What did I neglect to do to prepare this employee for this scenario?” A lot of times, the fault is not all on them. If you didn’t prepare them or lead by example, you’ve set them up for failure. You have to take an unbiased look at yourself first. If you can look in the mirror and honestly say that you have done everything to prepare them for that scenario, then it’s all on them, but let’s still find a reasonable solution to the problem.

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For the second go-round, give them a full written warning, and it could lead to a brief suspension, like three to five days. By the third time, you might have to just let them go, because at this point it’s habitual. And if you don’t deal with it, other employees will see that. They will either try to get away with the same behavior because they see there are no consequences, or they will feel unappreciated because they are upholding your standards while the others are not— without any repercussions.

Hernandez: How do you empower your employees and make them feel a part of the culture?

Rosch: Training and trust. Empowering employees is a key for your culture. If a cashier has an angry customer that wants a refund or a different dish and that cashier is not trained to handle that, she has no power. If you train her on how that situation should be handled and give her the power to rectify it without a manager always having to be there, she is now in control and will make that angry customer happy. You don’t want everyone in your restaurant to be able to give out free food all day, but empower them to handle situations unique to their position and the ship will run smoother.

Rosch poses for a photo with Daniel Perea, PMQ’s former senior media producer.

Hernandez: Any last thoughts on employee relations for the industry?

Rosch: Create your culture. Know your standards and stick by your standards. Surround yourself with good people. Lead by example. Make your restaurant a fun, welcoming environment to work in, and you will have happy employees that produce happy customers, which, in turn, leads to happy owners.

To see Brian Hernandez’s full interview with Kyle Rosch, visit PMQ.com/rosch.

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36 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

Expanded website coverage: Read a greatly expanded version of the Little Pops story—and Stuart Meyer’s own personal pizza journey—at PMQ.com/littlepops.

Little Pops NY Pizzeria uses storytelling as its most powerful marketing tool. And, since every pizzeria begins as someone’s personal dream and quest, you can do the same.

BY STUART MEYER

Mike and Vicki Nelson left Wappingers Falls, New York, in 2009 to start a promising new life with their three young children in Naperville, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. They had just sold the commercial snow-removal business they’d spent two decades building into a national company. As part of the deal, Mike would move to the Midwest to continue working for the buyer, they would receive the proceeds of the sale in installments over time, and MICHAEL NELSON

everyone would live happily ever after.

The end.

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37

But

LITTLE POPS

it was just the beginning, as their story became a real punch in the gut. The buyer’s company soon went bankrupt, leaving Mike and Vicki broke and unemployed. They watched helplessly as 20 years of blood, sweat and tears washed down the drain, with the remnants of their former business and future proceeds.

Vicki began driving a school bus part-time to make money.

With only a high school education, Mike bounced from dead-end job to dead-end job. It got so bad that members of their church anonymously sent them grocery store gift cards to buy food. Then, in 2014, after multiple false starts in getting their lives back on track and navigating personal bankruptcy, they drove down to Melbourne Beach, Florida, to meet Mike’s parents over spring break and get away from it all.

Living in Naperville, Mike and Vicki missed their favorite New York pizza joints. Authentic New York-style pizza, they felt, was virtually impossible to find amid all the deep-dish pies and thin-crust squares in the Chicago area. When they finally arrived in Melbourne, they met Mike’s parents at the Original Bizzarro Famous New York Pizza restaurant, in nearby Indialantic. That’s when a new idea began to rise within Mike’s entrepreneurial mind, like an overactive ball of dough. Even though the Nelsons had zero experience in the restaurant business, they would soon bring authentic New York-style pizza to Naperville—and start a new life with Little Pops NY Pizzeria Trattoria.

Behind every pizza business is a oneof-a-kind, authentic human story.

It’s your most powerful all-purpose business tool.

(Top to bottom) Mike and Vicki Nelson went through hard times before bouncing back to found Little Pops Pizzeria in 2014; After struggling to keep his pizzeria afloat in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Michael Pulcini made his own comeback with Naples Pizzeria in Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey.

FIRST, MEET THE PULCINIS

STUART MEYER

Several years later, I would tell the Nelsons’ story in a documentary film called NY Pizza Dreams, released in 2019. But they weren’t the first pizza making family I profiled as a filmmaker. That would be the Pulcinis, the current owners of Naples Pizzeria in Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey. I was a nine-year-old pizza making fanatic when Michael and Lina Pulcini took over the shuttered TJ’s Pizza Pub in my hometown of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, in 1981. My family became close friends with the Pulcinis, and we often feasted at the Pizza Pub for regular meals and most celebratory milestones.

At 18, I began working part-time at the Pizza Pub, delivering pizzas and making sandwiches, calzones and pasta dishes. Sometimes, when business was slow, Michael even let me enter his sacred pizzastation lair to stretch a pizza or two.

I loved cooking on busy nights and developed a deep passion for the art of pizza and Italian food traditions. I also experienced firsthand how mom-and-pop pizzerias can quickly become a cherished second home and family to so many. Sadly, by the summer of 1991, a fresh crop of less-expensive chain pizzerias had sprouted

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LITTLE POPS

The Nelsons launched Little Pops with a batch of New York-style family recipes, such as the Margherita (below), shared with them

by Vicki’s brother and nephew. They recently dominated the first Naperville Pizza Wars competition in February 2020.

S T UA RT ME Y E R

Mike Nelson has become a lead character in his own pizza story at Little Pops.

up around town, and business at the Pizza Pub began to wilt. The Pulcinis closed their doors for good that summer and moved back to New Jersey, where they opened Naples Pizzeria and still thrive to this day.

The inexplicable loss of Pizza Pub haunted me, and, after nearly 30 years, I still occasionally have a recurring dream in which Michael and Lina return to town to reopen the Pizza Pub. Fortunately, I stayed in touch with the Pulcinis and even shared their story with the world in my short documentary film, Inside the Pizza Box (available on YouTube).

Meanwhile, 23 years after the Pulcinis closed down Pizza Pub and absconded to New Jersey, I discovered Little Pops in Naperville—and another pizza family stole my heart.

If you think you’re the only person in your restaurant who can make pizza or prepare dishes, you’ll struggle to carve out time to be the main character of your story in the eyes of customers.

A FAMILY AFFAIR

STUART M EYER

Although Mike and Vicki Nelson knew nothing about the restaurant business, their lives were steeped in family food culture and traditions.

Mike grew up around DeLenos, his uncle Tony’s Italian family restaurant, which operated for decades as a local institution. On Vicki’s side, every Sunday, her grandparents hosted family dinners filled with the comforting aroma of frying meatballs and fresh gravy. Meanwhile, Vicki’s brother, Louis, and her nephew, Steven, operated a pizzeria in Maybrook, New York, named after their grandfather, Little Pops.

After finding a space for their own pizzeria in Naperville, the Nelsons turned to Louis and Steven, who shared the family recipes and guided them through the process of opening and running a pizzeria. To honor Vicki’s grandfather, they would also name their pizzeria Little Pops. They hired an experienced pizza maker and staged a soft opening in mid-2014.

Almost immediately, the phones started ringing and never stopped as they struggled to keep up with all the orders with only one experienced pizza maker. They made a lot of mistakes and endured various minor catastrophes in the coming months. Yet none of that mattered as overjoyed East Coast expats from all over the Chicago area converged upon Little Pops to get their slice of home and a dose of authentic New York food culture.

40 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

The Nelsons’ story inspired filmmaker Stuart Meyer to feature them in his 2019 documentary, NY Pizza Dreams.

S T UA RT ME Y E R

When I took my first bite of a Little Pops slice, tears of joy welled up in my eyes—and it wasn’t only because I had just burned every square inch of my mouth. My own recurring dreams of the Pizza Pub and New York-style pizza were beginning to merge with Mike and Vicki’s pizza dream. I again had the chance to share a family’s legacy in creating joy, connection and belonging in the lives of their customers through New York pizza and food culture.

The Nelsons’ backstory was so compelling and full of

humbling struggles that I knew anyone could relate to it. I contracted with them to produce the feature documentary about Little Pops that became NY Pizza Dreams. We also worked out an arrangement for my company, Social Frequency (i.e., me), to continue telling Little Pops’ story as a marketing strategist, media creator and business analyst.

The film has represented a major turning point in Little Pops’ story. It also reveals the power of storytelling as a marketing strategy for a pizza restaurant.

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STUART MEYER

LESSONS IN STORYTELLING

Upon the release of NY Pizza Dreams in February 2019, Little Pops almost immediately began doubling monthly revenue growth, year over year, which has become the new norm ever since. In 2019 vs. 2020, there was an overall 36% increase in year-over-year revenue growth. In fact, Little Pops has outgrown its current space, and an expansion plan is in the works.

The film shone a humanizing spotlight on the Little Pops story, making customers feel more attached to Mike, Vicki and the pizzeria. But you don’t have to get featured in a documentary to build those lasting connections. Here are some tips for telling your story in such a compelling way that readers want to be a part of it—and never want it to end.

Lesson 1: Your story is as important as your pizza—maybe more important. Behind every pizza business is a one-of-a-kind, authentic human story. It’s your most powerful all-purpose business tool. The human brain is hardwired for stories, because they are simulated personal experiences for which we form an attachment. Loyalty is born when staff, customers and entire communities form an attachment to your story as it continues to unfold. A new piece of our New York pizza dream unfolds every day at Little Pops, and we make everyone a part of that story. Our story serves as a guide for ideas, decision making, problem solving, interactions and finding our way out of the “weeds.”

Lesson 2: You are the main character in your story. Stories require a main character with whom we form a powerful attachment. As the pizzeria owner, you are that main character, and your pizzeria is your stage. If you stay tucked away from view in the kitchen all the time, it’s tough to play that role. On busy and slow nights alike, Mike prioritizes spending time with customers at Little Pops. He strikes up conversations with each customer using observation, humor and wit. And he listens to what’s going on in their lives.

If you think you’re the only person in your restaurant who can make pizza or prepare dishes, you’ll struggle to carve out time to be the main character of your story in the eyes of customers. Hire and train someone who can give you more time to make a meaningful connection with your customers.

And treat your employees as allies and supporting characters in your story—be careful to not turn them into villains.

Lesson 3: Great stories are rooted in struggle and humble beginnings. The human brain is also hardwired to help others who are struggling, especially those with whom we share a connection. Your story should include—and never lose sight of—those humbling moments of struggle you’ve faced in your dream to build a successful pizzeria. Even more importantly, be willing to be vulnerable when you find yourself in a major struggle that threatens your ongoing story. The current pandemic would be an excellent example. Like everywhere else,

42 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

From the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Little Pops involved the community in its response.

Upon the release of NY Pizza Dreams in February 2019, Little Pops almost immediately began doubling monthly revenue growth, year over year, which has become the new norm ever since. panic-fueled scrambling kicked in at Little Pops when Illinois’ governor issued a stay-at-home order. Despite this plot twist, the whole team remained united around the story, and Little Pops was quick to involve the neighborhood in the story by offering specific ways they could help us save our dream.

Lesson 4: Create an engaging setting for your story. Your pizzeria is the setting of your story and an important place for your regulars. Beyond the physical space, think about what your pizzeria represents in the lives of those who love everything you do and how the neighborhood pizzeria is a micro-community within a community. We refer to Little Pops as its own little neighborhood, because everyone who walks through the door is viewed as a “neighbor” and treated accordingly.

Lesson 5: Make your customers part of the story. While stories create a simulated personal experience in our brains that forms an attachment, you can attain new levels of loyalty when you involve your customers in your story. From community fundraisers and special causes to social media contests, testimonials and shared positive online reviews, find a way to let your customers play a role. NY Pizza Dreams has offered various ways to involve our neighborhood in Little Pops’ story.

STUART MEYER

We hosted a virtual and physical YouTube premiere to release the film. We chose a Monday night, when the pizzeria was usually closed, and hosted a special “golden ticket” watch party at Little Pops. Tickets were offered via a social media contest, and we provided a big screen and a lot of free pizza and pasta.

Throughout the evening, we shot video and photos and posted them to social channels as part of the ongoing story so that everyone could feel like they were present.

Lesson 6: Social media is your main storytelling channel. Every social post should be rooted in your daily story, as derived from your backstory and culture. As the main character in your story, you are also the chief storyteller. While you can hire people to manage your social media strategy and channels, they won’t be in the pizzeria every day as great stories unfold all around you.

Become proficient and active on social media, sharing regular daily stories with photos and videos that advance your backstory and culture. Let your authentic personality shine and provide a “frontline” point of view.

Lesson 7: A story features a protagonist on an uncertain adventure toward a meaningful goal. Great stories follow this formula, which mirrors the human experience—it’s something we all have in common. Think about this formula in terms of your approach to telling your backstory, your daily story, and the story about the future you are working to “write” in your great pizza adventure! NY Pizza Dreams, for example, is the inspiring story of a humble New York family who turned hard times into a New York-style pizza movement in Chicago-style pizza territory, all through faith, hope, love and a family legacy.

Stuart Meyer is a lifelong pizza making fanatic and founder/chief storytelling officer with Social Frequency Media Communications. He can be reached at stuart.meyer@ socialfrequency.us.

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PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE CELEBRATES THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE U.S. PIZZA TEAM!

Join us next month as we look back at the USPT’s finest moments and greatest triumphs in our August 2020 issue!

And thank you to our wonderful sponsors!

“

I

am proud to say the U.S. Pizza Team is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2020. With so many accomplishments

over the past 20 years, we’re going to take a little time this year to share with you some of the team’s most exciting and historic moments. I especially appreciate the sponsors who have believed in our cause and supported our team year after year, helping to shed light on what is positive and good about the pizza industry. I offer a heartfelt THANK YOU to these incredible sponsors--you have made a huge difference in the lives of so many pizza professionals!”

— Linda Green, PMQ CO-PUBLISHER

PMQ Co-Publisher Linda Green on our first U.S. Pizza Team trip in 2000.

20 YEARS OF HISTORY IN THE MAKING US Pizza Team history begins in January of 2000 with the Winter Issue of PMQ— known then as Pizza Marketing Quarterly.

What started off as an editor column idea became a pizza industry institution:

è

US Pizza Team history continues as reported in the Summer 2000 edition of Pizza Marketing Quarterly.

è

46 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

’Roni Tender

From classic pork to beef, turkey and seitan, pepperoni remains America’s most beloved pizza topping even as it continues to evolve.

BY TRACY MORIN

“In Italy, pepperoni does not exist,” says Luca Varuni with a laugh. “True Italians use salami, soppressata or capicola instead. The closest word to ‘pepperoni’ in Italy is peperoni, spelled with one p—and it means bell pepper.”

As the owner of Varuni Napoli, an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria with two locations in Atlanta, Varuni knows his Italian ingredients, but he doesn’t shy away from utilizing pepperoni on his menu. In fact, the Bastardo Pizza is his secondbest seller, just behind the classic Margherita.

Made with pepperoni cups, fresh mozzarella, ’nduja, Pecorino Romano and a touch of basil, the ZALAT-KATHY TRAN

“Bastardo” name refers to the fact that no one really knows the origin of pepperoni.

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HOME RUN INN

“We looked at the interplay between pepperoni and cheese…because each of those is going to release a certain amount of grease on the pizza, so it’s about how they play together. We wanted to nail the perfect combination of savoriness and aftertaste.”

Despite being such a popular ingredient—The National Hot Dog & Sausage Council notes that U.S. sales of pepperoni in 2018 reached more than $526 million, up 9.4% from 2017— there is still plenty to learn about this must-have pizza topping.

We asked experts for their best tips, tricks and creative uses of pepperoni to help you look at an old classic in a new light.

THE PERFECT PAIRING

At Varuni Napoli, one of the ingredients that staff goes through the most, besides buffalo mozzarella, is pepperoni.

For this reason, Varuni decided to choose a premade option for his operations. “Cured meats take a lot of time and care to prepare, and with the restaurant going through it so often, it makes more sense to use premade,” he says. “We use the highest quality of cup pepperoni...Ever since switching to cup pepperoni in the fall of 2019, our customers have never been happier—it’s hard to resist those crispy cups!”

Khanh Nguyen, founder and CEO of Texas-based ZaLat Pizza, with seven locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, also decided to go the premade route with his pepperoni. While honing in on the meticulous design of every aspect of his pizza through months of testing, he knew he wanted to elevate even standards like pepperoni pies into a work of art. “It’s not difficult to design an interesting pizza, but it’s a real challenge to take something common like pepperoni and make it into a great pizza,” Nguyen says. “As we always knew we wanted to grow to multiunit operations, making our own pepperoni wasn’t viable for us. So we decided to try everything and hone in on the best type.” In fact, his pepperoni trials were so thorough that Nguyen keeps the brand he ultimately selected a well-guarded secret.

— KHANH NGUYEN, ZALAT PIZZA But it wasn’t taste alone that guided his selection. “It’s also about the combination of things working together,” Nguyen points out. “We looked at the interplay between pepperoni and cheese, for example, because each of those is going to release a certain amount of grease on the pizza, so it’s about how they play together. We wanted to nail the perfect combination of savoriness and aftertaste.” After so many trials, he landed on a 100% beef pepperoni from a smaller brand. Now, 40% of his sales are comprised of pepperoni pies alone. But he also elevates the pepperoni with a sprinkling of basil ribbons on one pie, for a fresh tweak to the flavor profile, while The Crave combines pepperoni with salami, cracked black pepper and red onions.

At Aurelio’s, with 39 locations, president and CEO Joe Aurelio also recognizes the benefit of premade pepperoni, since it’s far less labor-intensive. “We make our own sausage, but the pepperoni process is much more involved—I prefer to work with a strong vendor who is an expert at making

48 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

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SEITAN PEPPERONI

Provided by chef Suzi Gerber Suzi’s note: “This can be spiced however you desire, but the spices in this recipe, like paprika and Italian herbs, complement the wheat and beans, making them not only more digestible, but making nutrients and minerals like iron more absorbable, too.”

— LUCA VARUNI, VARUNI NAPOLI pepperoni,” Aurelio explains. “With Aurelio’s classic pepperoni, combined with cheese and sweet pizza sauce, it gives sweet and spicy flavors unlike any other pizza. Top it with pineapple, and it adds even more intense flavors.”

Aurelio’s also employs pepperoni on its antipasto salad— “[It’s] delicious and a great starter before diving into a pizza,” Aurelio says. The salad tops a bed of lettuce with ham, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, green and black olives, sweet red peppers and pepperoncini, recommended to diners with its house dressing.

Varuni has also found some creative ways to use pepperoni, which he says pairs “amazingly well” with the pizzeria’s homemade ’nduja. “Mushrooms also pair well with pepperoni; the flavors definitely play off each other and complement each other nicely,” he adds. “And people may not think about this, but if you freeze the pepperoni and grate it like you would cheese, it’s a delicious topping for pastas, salads and appetizers.”

Directions: Smash the beans in a bowl with the spices and herbs until all are broken and chunky and the spices are mixed throughout. Add the tomato paste and oil and mix. Add the chickpea flour. Slowly add the gluten flour, ½ c. at a time, mixing as you go. Pour in the vegetable broth and let the dough mix absorb the liquid, turning the batter over and over until the liquid is completely absorbed.

Turn out the dough on a floured board to knead for 2 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes. Knead again for 2 to 5 minutes, shaping into long sausages, and rolling until smooth and no longer sticky.

Wrap the sausages in lightly greased tinfoil and steam in a steamer basket over boiling water for 20 to 25 minutes, checking after 15 minutes for desired firmness. (For dryer and firmer pepperoni, cook longer, up to 35 minutes.) Let cool and slice to desired thickness, storing in a mixture of olive oil, cracked black pepper and paprika until ready for use. Store at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to one month. Extra sausages can be frozen whole for up to six months.

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AURELIO’S

“Mushrooms also pair well with pepperoni; the flavors definitely play off each other and complement each other nicely. And…if you freeze the pepperoni and grate it like you would cheese, it’s a delicious topping for pastas, salads and appetizers.”

Ingredients: • 2 c. white beans or chickpeas • 2 tsp. salt • 1 tsp. onion powder • 2 tsp. garlic powder • 2 tsp. paprika (smoked, hot or both) • 1 tsp. black pepper, ground • 1 tsp. black pepper, coarsely ground (optional) • 1 tsp. fennel seeds, cracked • 1 tsp. yellow mustard seed, cracked and crushed • 1 tsp. crushed red pepper (or more to taste) • 1 tbsp. Italian spice herb blend • 2 tbsp. tomato paste • ¼ c. olive oil • ¼ c. chickpea or all-purpose flour • 1¾ c. gluten • 1 c. vegetable broth

ZALAT-KATHY TRAN

HEALTHIER CHOICES

As many consumers look to cut calories or fat, most don’t consider pepperoni a health food. Still, there are ways to make more positive choices when it comes to selecting pepperoni.

“Our restaurant sees a demand for natural meat-based options, which is why this has always been one of our top priorities,” Varuni says. “The meats we use are not processed, are hormone-free and contain no antibiotics. They’re top-tier, artisanal products.”

At Chicago-based Home Run Inn Pizza, with nine locations and a frozen-food line, food and beverage director Jeff Hursh reports that, since its addition a few years ago, turkey sausage has steadily gained in sales and now sits in the top four or five pizza toppings. So, this past spring, the company decided to add turkey pepperoni, too. “We found a turkey pepperoni that’s very good,” Hursh says. “Some people don’t eat pork for religious reasons or want a lower-fat option for health reasons. For people who are looking for turkey pepperoni, they don’t set the bar very high for taste—they just like having that option.”

For Nguyen, though, health considerations take a backseat.

His business is “100% about taste,” so flavor overrides all other considerations. In fact, he’s gotten listed as one of the best restaurants in the Dallas area for 420 celebrators, thanks to a decidedly unhealthy combination for stoners. “We normally

do a 420 pizza, and in the past we combined a pepperoni pizza with Lucky Charms cereal,” Nguyen says. “It actually worked great, with those sweet, salty and savory flavors!”

On the other hand, some recipes can ditch the meat altogether for a vegetarian- and vegan-friendly alternative such as seitan pepperoni (see recipe on page 50). Suzi Gerber, an executive chef, food product developer and author of PlantBased Gourmet in Medford, Massachusetts, recommends this option. “It packs more than 100 grams of protein without even one-quarter of the saturated fats, stabilizers, nitrates and other compounds found in conventional pepperoni,” Gerber says. “In addition to being a lean protein, this recipe contains a very high fiber content—virtually unheard of for pepperoni or other cured meats—which increases satiety.”

Regardless of whether your pepperoni caters to plant-based diets or goes whole-hog on the indulgence factor, it’s worth communicating to customers what, if any, qualities make your pepperoni stand out against the competition. And, once you’ve taken the time to select (or make from scratch) the perfect pepperoni for you, allow it to work its unique magic across the menu. Pepperoni has certainly cemented itself as what The New York Times once called “America’s favorite topping,” but it can be a lot more with just a little experimentation!

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

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the

Art of

Connection How to get the most out of every social media post and bond with your customers in the COVID-19 era.

BY KRISTIN DYAK

The COVID-19 pandemic has put pizzeria operators in a unique position. On one hand, it has introduced diverse operational challenges, from supply chain disruptions to the sudden and complete loss of any revenue that would have come from events such as the NCAA basketball tournament and in-restaurant dining and drinking. On the other hand, it has presented an unprecedented opportunity to stand out as an attractive dining option at a time when the coronavirus crisis has reduced competition, turned grocery shopping into an adventure, and forced much of the public to become a captive market.

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But whether your business’ COVID-19 experience has been good, bad, or—most likely—a mix of both up to this point, it’s crucial to consider how to best communicate with both current and potential customers on your social media platforms in the present and future pandemic environment.

MODIFY—BUT DON’T ABANDON!—YOUR EDITORIAL CALENDAR

Whether you have one restaurant or 10, continue to plan out your social media content as best you can. An editorial calendar helps ensure that you have a consistent post frequency and map out important dates and topics. It’s always considered a living tool, but even more so when tomorrow could bring different news that directly impacts your business. So, while on a good day your editorial calendar may have been planned, written, and scheduled a month in advance, during more uncertain times it’s okay to work on a week-to-week basis and change or update your content within the structured calendar to keep up with the situation.

Here are seven things to remember when crafting an editorial calendar: 1. Establish current goals, from boosting revenue on certain days to reaching customers in specific geographic areas.

Above: Pizzeria Delfina, with multiple locations in San Francisco, makes sure to feature customer-generated content.

This Instagram repost spotlights a customer who made a huge meal with the pizzeria’s various pizza kits.

Below: Ian’s Pizza in Madison, Wisconsin, emphasized value in its lunch combo specials offering a pizza slice, side salad and soft drink for just $7.

Don’t forget user-generated content! Sharing or even asking for content—such as reviews, photos and favorite menu items—from customers is a great way to leverage unique, organic content.

2. Diversify content and media assets, from which menu items you feature to how often you post photos, text-only, video, etc., on each platform.

3. Incorporate national holidays, including the typical ones like the Fourth of July and Memorial Day as well as those that are relevant to your menu and location, like National Cheese Day ( June 4) or your state’s official day celebrating statehood.

4. Prioritize seasonal menus and limited-time offers that can showcase your knowledge of local ingredients and entice dealseekers respectively.

5. Share news and events, including your own and those going on in the community, to position yourself as a hometown supporter and ever-present pre- or post-event dining option.

6. Market your vibe by sharing images not just of your food but also your employees, restaurant interior and exterior, etc.

7. Don’t forget user-generated content! Sharing or even asking for content—such as reviews, photos and favorite menu items—from customers is a great way to leverage unique, organic content.

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To illustrate its commitment to helping the community during the COVID-19 crisis, Avalanche Pizza in Athens, Ohio, used Facebook to promote food giveaways for the hungry all over town. The pizzeria also gave away its own meal packs in the parking lot on May 17, thanks to donations by customers, local benefactors and a church.

You should always interact with comments, shares, and mentions related to your food and services.

The more your brand engages, the higher the chances are that more people will want to tag and interact with you.

PRIORITIZE FOOD AND CUSTOMER SAFETY ABOVE ALL

Your social media channels should always offer a diverse mix of content, whether there’s a global pandemic or not.

That said, your content should also always reflect the current state of affairs and be placed into an appropriate context for your customers. So, applying everything above to the current climate, here are some COVID-19-specific content recommendations:

While you likely began sharing news of your cleaning, food prep and delivery procedures long ago, it’s essential to continue to do so as long as and long after stay-at-home orders have ended—especially given how wary some customers are about returning to dine-in restaurants right now.

While it might seem like overkill, regularly posting links to all of the procedures you’re following and measures you’re taking is something that your customers will expect and appreciate. And remember, you can mix this content up just like you do with everything else—for example, sharing images of your employees wearing their personal protective equipment, videos of your managers speaking directly to customers, etc.

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Warm weather put the team at a Portland, Oregon, location of Schmizza Pub & Grub in a tropical mood, as reflected in this eyecatching graphic touting the pizzeria’s newest signature pizza.

When you do this, be sure to include relevant hashtags that incorporate your message into the larger digital conversation. For example, #SupportSmallBusiness or #EatLocal will insert your post into that hashtag stream while showing your customers that you support those initiatives.

PROMOTE GOOD DEEDS AND PHILANTHROPY

You might be hesitant to share your good deeds and philanthropic efforts, fearing that they appear too selfserving, but there’s no shame in showing that you care about your community. So, yes, you should absolutely use your social channels to share a press release about your big donation to the local food bank; shout out or offer special promotions and discounts to the first responders, hospital workers, teachers and other local heroes that you’re thankful for; and showcase images or videos of any surprise pizza deliveries or donations you’ve made.

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Use social media to promote new menu items that will pique customers’ interest, such as the arancini introduced at Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria in St. Louis.

You might even consider making your customers part of your efforts.

For example, donate a dollar of every order to a specific cause on a certain day; offer customers the ability to donate your pizzas to their recipient of choice; or launch a contest to recognize “everyday heroes” in your community.

To make the most of this content, remember to engage with your followers by sharing their content to your page as well. For example, if a customer posts about participating in your donation program, share their post to your account. This type of engagement is important in general, but it’s especially valuable when so much communication is taking place on a digital network. Customers enjoy the warm, fuzzy feeling of seeing their supportive post on the restaurant’s page.

KEEP PUSHING TAKEOUT AND DELIVERY

It’s crucial to recognize that delivery and takeout are largely responsible for the fact that pizza restaurants have fared far better than other types of restaurants during the pandemic.

Regardless of when you reopen your doors, you should keep promoting these options while you monitor your dine-in numbers. Some possibilities include: Show Your Teams. Now is the time to show off your delivery teams, delivery station, or chefs behind the scenes. Spotlight these employees in an email to customers or in a fun social media feature, along with some first-person quotes and background information on how long they’ve been working in the food industry. Keeping this content friendly and light will entice more people to want to order from your restaurant!

Provide Discounts. Coupon codes or discounts incentivize your customers and provide value and convenience at a time when many are out of work and have little money to spend.

This could be anything from free delivery to one free drink, or

even 10% off the entire delivery order. It’s best to send these coupon codes via social media, email, or through a loyalty program in your app so that you keep your customers coming back for more rewards and more tasty food. Also be sure to constantly promote your loyalty program and delivery services through paid ads on social media, explaining their ease of use, benefits and payment options—always with mouthwatering pictures of your food!

Encourage Social Interactions. While establishing your social media marketing plan, be sure to create a simple hashtag to go along with your mobile orders, takeout and deliveries.

Share it on social media so customers know just what to do when they get their Friday night dinner. Additionally, you should always interact with comments, shares, and mentions as they relate to your food and services. The more your brand engages, the higher the chances are that more people will want to tag and interact with you.

The take-home message: Social media is more important than ever right now, and by putting these best practices to work you’ll keep delivering the content that your customers crave.

Kristin Dyak is digital marketing director at The Cyphers Agency, an independent, fullservice creative agency offering advertising, public relations and digital services to diverse regional and national clients. To learn more, visit thecyphersagency.com.

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# OF UNITS 7482 5876 4262 3199 1400 1372 907 855 548 548 541 468 452 427 423 397 345 331 227 226 221 218 215 214 212 191 185 171 170 153 135 123 118 109

CHAIN NAME PIZZA HUT DOMINO'S LITTLE CAESARS PAPA JOHN'S PAPA MURPHY'S PIZZA CASEY'S CARRY-OUT PIZZA MARCO'S PIZZA OLIVE GARDEN THE GODFATHER'S PIZZA HUNGRY HOWIE'S PIZZA CHUCK E. CHEESE'S PIZZA PRO MOD PIZZA ROUND TABLE PIZZA CICIS JET'S PIZZA SBARRO BLAZE PIZZA CARRABBA'S ITALIAN GRILL CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN MOUNTAIN MIKE'S PIZZA ROSATI'S PIZZA FAZOLI'S FOX'S PIZZA DEN PIZZA RANCH MELLOW MUSHROOM VILLA FRESH ITALIAN KITCHEN SIMPLE SIMON'S PIZZA DONATOS PIZZA PIZZA INN PIEOLOGY PIZZERIA MAZZIO'S ITALIAN EATERY PIZZA FACTORY OLD CHICAGO PIZZA & TAPROOM

The PMQ/CHD Top 400 Pizza Chains

THE AUTHORITATIVE GUIDE TO PIZZA CHAIN MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS RESEARCH

PMQ and CHD Expert have collaborated to present the Pizza Industry's most authoritative directory of pizza chain management and pizza chain business information.

This 2020 Pizza Chain Directly Identifies the top 424 Pizza Chains with headquarters, management contacts and unit locations.

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For purchasing information, visit pmq.com/pizzachain400

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BREAKING THE

ICE Learn about the ins and outs of ice machines: choosing the right model, what new technologies have hit the market, and how to maintain these machines for maximum longevity.

BY TRACY MORIN

It may not be the most glamorous of purchases for a pizzeria operator, but choosing the right model of ice machine—and implementing the proper maintenance procedures—are fundamental pieces to the beverage puzzle in your operation.

After all, a poorly functioning machine can easily create a negative experience for in-house, carryout and delivery customers alike; incur unnecessary expenses for an operator; and even lead to health code violations.

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You want to keep the ice machine far away from the oven or prep area. The heat from a hot pizza oven will cause the ice machine to overheat and produce less ice.

According to a report by Suffern, New York-based TigerChef, restaurant owners must first determine the capacity needed (with the suggested amount as 1.5 pounds of ice per meal served, plus 20% to account for variations), then choose the ideal ice shape (cubed, nugget or flaked) and the type of machine (air-cooled or water-cooled). After that, operators can look into additional accessories, such as ice bins, water filters, scoops and ice caddies, according to their specific needs.

To nail down more details on finding the best machine for you and keeping your machine operating at peak production over the long haul, we chatted with expert John Mahlmeister, chief operating officer for Easy Ice, headquartered in Marquette, Michigan, and Phoenix. He answers operators’ top questions and offers a wealth of ice-related advice for the uniquely high-maintenance pizzeria setting.

John Mahlmeister, COO, Easy Ice

WHAT MODELS OF ICE MACHINES ARE AVAILABLE FOR PIZZERIAS, AND WHERE SHOULD OPERATORS POSITION THEM WITHIN THE RESTAURANT?

Modular-style ice machines with an ice storage bin are often the best choice for pizzerias. These ice machines come in a large range of sizes to accommodate any pizzeria. Ice dispensers can also be a great option for quick-serve or pizza-by-the-slice restaurants. With these models, customers can fill their drinks at a fountain and grab ice whenever they need it.

More important than the type of ice machine you buy is where you install it. You want to keep the ice machine far away from the oven or prep area. The heat from a hot pizza oven will cause the ice machine to overheat and produce less ice. Prep areas in pizzerias produce a lot of yeast, which leads to rapid mold growth. If you place your ice machine near one of these areas, you can expect additional problems with ice machine performance, as well as a greater need for additional cleanings to keep the mold away.

WHAT PRICE SHOULD OPERATORS EXPECT TO PAY FOR A HIGH-QUALITY MACHINE, AS WELL AS FOR ONGOING MAINTENANCE?

Depending on the size of the ice machine and how much ice it produces, commercial ice makers cost from $1,500 to more than $10,000. That does not include cleaning, maintenance and repairs.

Ice machine maintenance and cleaning are especially important in pizzeria ice machines, because, as noted, these businesses work with a lot of yeast, which is an excellent source of food for mold. While many ice machine manufacturers recommend at least two professional ice machine maintenance and cleaning visits per year, pizzerias and bakeries should consider scheduling more than that. The average professional maintenance and cleaning visit costs around $300.

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Even the best ice machines require repairs from time to time. Repair costs depend on the severity of the problem and the part that needs repairing. Small repairs, like valve replacements, can cost around $600. Bigger repair jobs, like an evaporator or condenser repair, can cost around $2,000. This is why preventive maintenance is so important in commercial ice machines. Preventive maintenance works to identify potential problems before they become ice machine disasters.

An all-inclusive ice machine subscription or rental can be a great solution for budgetconscious pizzerias. These subscriptions include the equipment, maintenance, cleaning, repairs and often backup ice deliveries for one monthly payment.

WHAT ARE SOME NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN ICE MACHINES?

While the refrigeration process hasn’t changed all that much since the 1930s, newer ice machines come with all kinds of bells and whistles. Many newer ice machines are utilizing digital technology to monitor their performance. For example, if the ice machine takes too long to produce a batch of ice, the machine will alert the user and give detailed information that can help diagnose the problem.

Other improvements include infrared bin controls, which use infrared beams to measure the amount of ice in your ice bin. When the bin fills to the top, the bin control sends a message to the ice machine to shut down.

WHAT MAINTENANCE OR CLEANING PROCEDURES SHOULD OPERATORS KEEP IN MIND TO MAXIMIZE LONGEVITY OF THE MACHINE?

As mentioned, pizzerias offer a unique set of challenges for ice machines because yeast is so prevalent. The leading ice machine manufacturers recommend at least two professional cleanings per year, but that recommendation is for typical environments— pizzerias easily need twice that. We’ve seen perfectly clean ice machines in pizzerias grow considerable amounts of mold in only three weeks! Mold can lead to health inspection violations, which can damage the reputation of any restaurant.

Routinely monitoring and cleaning the ice machine is also helpful. Make sure that your employees check the ice machine for excessive mold in and around the ice machine. When cleaning and disinfecting your restaurant at the end of the shift, make sure employees include the ice machine in that process.

WHAT OTHER CONSIDERATIONS SHOULD OPERATORS KEEP IN MIND WHEN WORKING WITH ICE MACHINES?

Ice machines are often overlooked until it is too late. Pizzerias don’t sell ice, so it’s looked at as more of an expenditure than a product. However, running out of ice is a huge hassle and will cost you money. No one wants a warm soda to go with their pizza, and buying ice retail can be quite expensive—the average 10-pound bag of ice costs about $3. Assuming a pizzeria needs 400 pounds of ice per day to run, you’re looking at spending $120 for every day that the ice machine is down.

The vast majority of ice machine problems we’ve seen could have easily been avoided if the business owner kept up with maintenance and repairs. The annual cost business owners spend on maintenance and cleaning is a far better option than waiting for an ice machine to break down. Rushing to get an ice machine up and running is a huge headache—and can end up costing thousands of dollars!

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

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SPONSORED CONTENT

How to Grab as Much Carryout and Delivery Business as Possible How much business have you lost during the last couple of months because you didn’t have enough phone lines or staff? There’s only one way to find out and that’s to open the sales faucet all the way. That’s where Voice Teleservices, the support heroes of pizza restaurant carryout and delivery, come in.

Their centralized customer engagement solution enables them to serve your remote guests by directly placing their takeout, delivery and catering food orders. As the voice of your restaurant, they provide live agent services responding to inbound telephone orders, online inquiries and third-party orders (i.e. DoorDash, ezCater, etc.). Their team of experienced support heroes have expert knowledge of each restaurant brand and their menus and have demonstrated the ability to increase average order values by more than 15% through consultative upselling.

Here’s how Voice Teleservices works with independent pizza restaurants and other restaurant brands: • Increase revenue and profitability by responding quickly and professionally to all customer order requests across channels while optimizing the value of each order processed.

• Make the customer engagement experience seamless to the guest.

They think they are actually talking to an employee at your restaurant.

• Listen for, collect and share customer insights, ideas, complaints and recommendations.

Key Benefits: Restaurants are busy places. Voice Teleservices focuses 100% on making sure your remote customers get their orders right while you focus on filling the customer orders—or whatever the right balance of assistance is needed when it’s needed.

• Your customers will never hear the words “Can you hold, please?”

• Restaurants have high employee turnover (100% to 150% a year).

Voice Teleservices’ attrition is less than 10%.

• Built-in redundancy: If a support hero is out on any given day, they are backed up by an entire team that’s equally prepared to serve the customer.

• Data-driven management: You’ll know how many calls were placed to your restaurant every hour, day and week and what your customers are saying about your service.

• Unlimited phone lines are available, so you’ll only stop getting orders when you tell them to stop.

• Easy to work with and quick to get started. Since 2011, hundreds of restaurants have transitioned to Voice Teleservices.

• An order accuracy of 99%!

To learn more, visit voiceteleservices.com.

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IDEA ZONE

Message On Hold Offers 60-Day Free Trial On All of Its Products Looking to reduce hang-ups, upsell your customers and make your employees more productive? That’s what Message On Hold is all about.

“One thing we ask every customer is, ‘How much money do you lose on the phone every day?’” says Mike Wick from Message On Hold, a Houston-based company that offers cutting-edge on-hold messaging services. “The most important thing in the world is the message. What are we saying to the people when they are on hold? Are they hearing a professionally produced upsell message?”

Message On Hold has been making phones explode with business for over 22 years. They specialize in the pizza industry, with more than 3,500 pizzeria customers. The company’s goal is simple: to make it easier for customers to order from you. The average Message On Hold client sees its average sales rise by 50 cents an order, Wick notes. The return on investment is so great that Message On Hold will install the equipment in your pizzeria, write the scripts and let you use the system for 60 days—all for free. If you don’t like it, just send it back.

Using state-of-the-art digital equipment connected to your telephone system, Message On Hold, an industry pioneer, creates the perfect audio mix of licensed music and customized messages about your business. It’s also

useful for introducing new menu items and advertising for new employees, Wick notes. “There are a lot of ways to use Message On Hold that just make people feel better about calling your restaurant. It’s all about improving customer satisfaction.”

Message On Hold’s service includes copywriting, professional voice talents, digital equipment, installation support, a lifetime replacement warranty, fax or call reminders to update your messages, and more. Their No. 1 objective is to become a valued business partner, creating custom messages that give you your desired ROI. And now, Message On Hold brings you their new VOIP service. Phones go down? No problem! You can still take online and phone orders. They can also help you replace your outdated technology with no out-of-pocket costs and one flat rate nationwide.

Message On Hold offers a variety of products and services to help you succeed! To learn more about Message On Hold, new Message On Hold Phones, Label King Turbo, Temp King Turbo, Job Aid Turbo, AI and other products and services, visit messageonholdservice.com/phones or labelkingturbo.com or call Mike Wick at 800-392-4664, ext. 1.

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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

GRAIN CRAFT

Grain Craft’s new Neapolitan Italian-Style Pizzeria flour features finely ground wheat grown in an area with the ideal combination of high altitude, rich volcanic soils and growing conditions like the agricultural regions of Italy. Available in 25-pound bags, this 00-type flour is the key to producing a light dough with dependable extensibility, the perfect rise and a soft thin crust.

GRAINCRAFT.COM

BACIO

Bacio’s exceptional Italian pizza cheese is specially crafted for the most discerning pizzerias and restaurants passionate about using only the best ingredients. Uniquely crafted with fresh, grade-A milk and the company’s signature Kiss of Buffalo Milk, Bacio’s products offer an authentic taste with unparalleled performance. You can discover the difference for yourself by scheduling a sampling at BACIOCHEESE.COM.

ENCOMPASS MEDIA GROUP

Encompass Media Group executes branded pizza box programs through its network of 35,000 partner locations in the United States. For a recent campaign focused on connectivity in the COVID-19 crisis, more than 230,000 pizza boxes were branded with the message, “This pizza box wants you to call your Grandma” and distributed in select markets for four weeks while the hashtag #NowMoreThanEver reinforced the theme of connectivity. EMGMEDIAINC.COM

HUNGERRUSH

HungerRush offers a fully integrated restaurant management system that’s easy to use and totally configurable to engage guests, master operations and market like a pro. Want to offer online ordering? It’s built in. Want to get the latest performance data on your operations and marketing? No problem. Want to make customers for life by creating personalized experiences they’ll love? Order up. The system is even backed by a dedicated and United States-based support team. HUNGERRUSH.COM

YAMATO

The Yamato AW-WPS Pizza Scale, designed for portion control, features a hands-free tare, making it easier to weigh ingredients. Weighing ingredients, especially cheese, will help maximize your profit margins. This NSF-certified scale has a capacity of 30 pounds, with no cable between the platform and the indicator. To tare the scale while building a pizza, simply motion in front of the indicator, and it will reset to zero. YAMATOAMERICAS.COM

MFG TRAY

MFG Tray dough boxes offer optimal dough protection. They readily integrate into small- and large-production pizza and baking operations. Their secure and tight stacking capability protects and extends product life. Made in the USA, MFG Tray dough boxes may be used intermittently in temperatures ranging from -60°F to 250°F and will safely handle items to be refrigerated or frozen. MFGTRAY.COM

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Portion PadL Makes Sharing Pizza a Safe, No-Touch Experience As

pizza restaurants continue to adapt to the “new normal” of the COVID-19 pandemic, making customers feel safe is a paramount concern. Since pizza is a shareable food, some customers will be understandably worried about other hands touching the same areas of the serving plates, risking the spread of the virus.

Additionally, if the pizza isn’t cut all the way through, it’s difficult to retrieve a slice from the pie without using one’s hands. The more hands that touch the serving plate and pizza, the greater the likelihood that the coronavirus could be spread. If the consumer doesn’t feel safe about serving themselves from a whole pizza, they might complain to the local health department or, worse, simply never come back.

Fortunately, Portion PadL has the solution: the No HandL Portion PadL with the Touchless Pizza Border. This No Handle Portion PadL acts as a cutting board, portioning guide and an attractive serving plate that’s also the first touchless serving plate in the industry.

To understand why this solution works, there are four common surfaces on which pizzas are cut: a flat-surface cutting board; an aluminum plate; the pizza box; and the Portion PadL. Of those four surfaces, the first three, due to their design, make it very likely, almost necessary, for multiple customers to touch the same surface areas, and their design won’t allow knives to cut through the entire crust of the pizza.

The Portion PadL’s recessed grooves allow both rocker and roller knives to cut all the way through the crust, even the thickest part, from edge to edge. Meanwhile, its finger-wells enable dine-in patrons to avoid touching shared surface areas when serving themselves from a sliced pizza. When moving the No HandL Portion PadL between guests at a table, everyone has their own fingerwell to do so. When the pizza is cut completely through the crust, guests can safely and easily remove the slices with their own spatulas, without using their fingers or utensils to tear off the slice.

While restaurant owners will need to gain the customer’s confidence in all areas as quickly as possible, details for patrons sharing pizza at the same table should not be overlooked. Consumers will also give serious thought as to whether they can safely serve themselves slices of pizza, from the dinner table to their plate. Find out more about how Portion PadL can solve this problem at portionpadl.com or call 330-608-5928.

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LS 4:00 pm UNTIL CLOSIN Closed Monday G

APPETIZERS

TUESDA Breaded Y Cauliflow DINNER Popcorn er ..............

Two Ham SPECIALS Subs- 8.50 ..............

Chicken ..............

4:00 pm UNTIL WEDNESDAY ..............

CLOSING ............................

Chicken ...3.75 Tenders .............. ..............

Closed Monday Two Cheese ..............

Mozzarel ..............

Steaks- 8.50 ........4.25 la Sticks ..............

TUESDAY (6) .............. ..............

THURSD French .........4.7 ..............

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Two Ham Subs-Fries Large Pizza 8.50............................ ..............

French Fries .............. or Large ...4.25 APPETIZERS w/Chees ..............

Strombo WEDNESDAY e .............. .............. li Curly Fries FRIDAY .............. ...2.75 Breaded Cauliflower ............................................. ..............

Two Cheese Steaks- 8.50 ..............

Two Small .............. ..............3.75 Corn Nuggets ..............

Pizzas- 15.99 ..............

Popcorn Chicken .............................................

3.25 .............. ..............

THURSDAY .............. ...................4.25 ..............

SATURD Potato .....3.25 ..............

AY Chicken Tenders ............................................. $1.00 Off Large Pizza orWedges .............. ..............

Two Large Large Stromboli ....................4.75 ..............

Onion Rings ..............

Pizzas- 17.99 ..............

Mozzarella Sticks (6) .............................................

3.75 (8) .............. ..............

FRIDAY ..............4.25 Pierogies SUNDAY .............. ............3 French Fries.............................................

(3) .............. .............. .25 Two Small Buy One ..............

Pizzas- 15.99 .............. ............................2.75 Jalapeno ..........3.0 Large Pizza .............. & Get a Small Poppers (5) French Fries w/Cheese .............................................

0 ..............

SATURDAY Cream Cheese ..............

Pizza for .............. ...........3.25 ..............

1/2 Price ..2.00 & Cheddar Curly Fries .............................................

Two Large Cheese Filled ............................

Broccoli Pizzas..............................3.25 17.99 Cheese ...4.00 Loc Corn Nuggets .............................................

Poppers (8) SUNDAY al Mac-N-C .........................3.75 ..............

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Potato Wedges ............................................. or Take sto tal ..............

BuyBattered One Large Pizza ............................

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SALAD & Get a Small Pizza for 1/2 Pricems Onion Rings (8) ............................................. ..............

Sweet Potato S .............. .....................3.00 ....3.75 - EatAllIn or Take .............. salads Fries ..............

Pierogies (3) ............................................. .............. come Out Wings (6) .............. ..........3.7 ...........................2.00 Extra Toppings with house dressing, .............. ..............

5 Jalapeno Poppers (5) ............................................. : 50¢/ea. .............. unless specified ..............

Pizza Chicken Dressing ..............

• Extra .......3.75 Fries (14) s: French, Cream Cheese & Cheddar Cheese & Pasta Factory ..............4.00 ..............

Pizza Ranch & HouseDressing: 30¢ Filled ..............

Ravioli .............. ............................ & Pasta Grilled Chicken .....4.00 (Oil/Vine ..............

Factory Broccoli Cheese Poppers (8) ............................................. .............. gar) Salad .............. ..............

Eggplant 777 SALADS Chicken ...4.00 ........3.75 Fries w/Sauce ............................ ..............

The Wal Mac-N-Cheese Bites .............................................

Breast Salad .............. ..............

BAMBINO PIZZA All salads come with house nut THE .............. des MA .............. ...............3.75 ..........4.7 Special Salad ........... 7.50 ANY LARGE dressing, unless specified Ave TH .............. .................... ..............

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5 PIZZA Extra Toppings: .................... 50¢/ea. • Extra ..............

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117 East Pottsville Street Pine Grove, PA 17963

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Upon Request Mozzarell .................... ...............

SPINACH & $19.95 Pick-Up or Free Delivery .............

CHICKEN MARSALA PIZZA (Grilled Chicken, NA PIZZA ....................

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BROCCOLI (with Lettuce ...............

Fresh Mozzarella ............. ............... ....................

Except Holidays RUSTICA TURKEY WRAP ....................

GRILLED CHICKEN WRAP (Sauteed& Tomato) ...............

OR SCAMPI ............. ............. ............... ...$19.95 Served & Roasted PIZZA (Grilled CHEESE...... .................... in Garlic & Oil) ............... (with PIZZA CHEESE CHICKEN with French ...............

STEAK $11 PIE DAY Peppers in ....................

TUES ............... + Tax ..........................

HONEY MUSTARDBacon, Lettuce & Tomato) WRAP $19.95 PIZZA .................... ....................

MARSALA GRILLED WARP (withMON Lettuce -& Tomato Chicken, .................... ...............

STEAK Friesa • Balsamic ...............

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PLAIN............... .................... p or WRAP & BROCCOLI WRAP ......... $19.95 a & Roasted 2 LARGE PIZZAS ...............WITHOUT PIZZA ............... PIZZA ...............

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Holidays CHICKEN RANCH Tomato & Russian Dressing) MARGHER other offer. ...............

HONEY (with ............... combined with any...............

STO & Fresh ONLY Cannot be to change at any Basil, Olive MEAT CAESAR.................... ) CHICKEN ...............

(Eggplant, Tomato, WRAP $19.95 .....................MUSTARD time combined PIZZA (Pepperoni, ITA PIZZA Tomatoes Pizza ...............

SICILIAN RE WID Oil, & & BROCCOL WRAP .................... with any without notice.

American Cheese, WRAP (Grilled Chicken, .. $19.95 CHICKEN & Tomato) other offer.

CHICKEN (Fresh Mozzarell .............................. with Cheese) STUFFED & Pasta ............................................. ....................(BreadedCHICKEN Sausage, CHICKEN Tomato ..........$19 Roasted Peppers Olive, Spinach, I WRAP CAESAR Lettuce, Tomato Bacon, WRAP .....................

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• CAJUN ni, ...............

CAESAR RY CLEA RUSSIAN 5 PIZZA.................... ....................

Pick-U(Toppings +tax Fresh Spinach, MIXED.................... ...............

SALAD PIZZA Sausage, Meatballs & Tomato Sauce) ............... $19.95 CHICKEN .......................................... (with.............

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(Eggplant, VEGGIE WRAP .................... $19.95or Marinara) ...............

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Excepor Free WRAP (Spicy Tomato CHICKEN Cheese) ....................

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Sauce, Lettuce, t HolidaDelive SHRIMP Olive, RANCH$19.95& Russian .........$18 ....................

(Red or.95 Spinach, .................... ....................

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BBQ HAMBURGER Chicken, CLAMS ( OR ...............

OR ............... ....................

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Bacon, ) ............... .................... $19.95 Tomato TUSCAN ...............

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Cheese, Lettuce, Parmesan BURGER ...............

PIZZA5(Ham HAMBURG ........................................ ........................................ e Acc time VODKA SAUCE .............................. combined ....................

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Cheese, Lettuce, ) .................................. .....................................$ htin ............... ...............

BUFFALOTomato) Blue Cheese, & Pasta ........$19.95 ............... ...............

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CHEESE GRANDMA with URGER Each Additional ..................... & s .......... $19.95 7.25 Served ....................

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Tomato Factory (with Yellow ............... ............... ............... ............... er .....................

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PIE DAY SHOW Mozzarella, 7.75 Sicilian ...............

95 ( • Half ............... ................. ............... ..................... .....$19.9 t $1.85 PRSRT ..................... ............... Fries $10.95 Cheese, BLUE CHEESE (with Yellow with Fresh Franks Hot Hom ................. ...............

ROOM MUSHROOM with Melted Mozzarella ...............STROMBOLI .............$7. ...............

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15, .............

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PAN (with Melted- Medium: dium $8.75 a, Sauteed Sauce) .............

75 ............. $1.50 & Onion Pasta ) .................

Pizza URGER DELUXECup ...............

T GO! ....$7.75 Lettuce, Tomato, • Large:$2.50 Any Additional 20 ....................Large ) ............. PASTA .........$7 Mushroom NS of Sauce Mozzarell & Pasta ................. ...............BUY ..................Factory (with Tomato $10 PIE DAY (Next to Foodtow36, Port &Monm DOUBLE $12.25 iNv .75 Sauce 17 Medium $8.95 a Cheese, Topping MAY ANY 2 WHOLE ...............

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ROLLS Tomato, & Onion 1-15, $1.50 OR ............... (with Yellow American Cheese, g Extra) Cup of Sauce ........... $8.75 Medium $8.75 .......Large $12.75 toRY Mond COLD SUBS 07758t p of Wilson HOT OR 2 WHOLE ................. ............. Meatballs & Onion - YOUR Large:$2.

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10am .................

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HOT In ............... other offer.notice. any 3 Hwy r of Wilso ....................

FREEBEVER CHICKEN Every Sauce on .................

ROLL •HAM wnive ............... other the • 10:30 ...........$7.75 ............... .......................... ..........................

This FINGERS ....................DELIVERY the Side: ................. at Regulthing ............... offer Sh offers NO EXCE AGES & n.................

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DAY .....$2.00 CANNOLI ........................................ reverse TO: ............... om ss from Tow LEmd any . $7.25 ........................................ th, for ...............

Atlantic ............. other Middleto HOT details side 73 ............... ne Cent el, PetS ne CHEESECAKE offers .................... ...............

Highlands, ............. wn, DECAF COFFEE .............................. !!er NJ BEVE ...........$8 ................$1 2.615 PetSmart) Cen Belford, ..............$4. ............... .............

Mond.75ay TIRAMISU ........................................ .95 Keansburg, mart RAGE ) ............... terLeonardo, ...............

25 ....................

HOT TEA ...............

S & DESS .......................... .....................$7.75 Union Beach .0707 ...............

- Sund.................... ............... ........$3.95 .$2.00 .................... ............... ............. ay • 10:30 & Hazlet ............... .................... ...............

ERTS CANNOLI ..... $7.95 ............... .............$4.2 .....$2.00 ............... ...............

AM - 11:00 5 Any ...............

CHEESEC ...............

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4.25 Ord ............... ............... only. nds, Keansb town, Belfor Catering ers ........$3.9 ...............

Menu In Alex ............... urg, Union d, Leona 5 store Dee .............$ only.

Beach rdo, 4.25 & Hazlet Prices Subject To Change Al Without Notice exDe Cannot be to change at any time ONLY combined with any without notice. other offer.

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Traditional Flours, Pizza Mixes & Grain Innovations For more information or samples, contact us at ArdentMills.com or call 888-685-2534.

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MAGNETS

GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS

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MIXERS

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PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

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PIZZA BOXES

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PIZZA INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

PIZZA OVENS

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• Pizza Preparation and Delivery Products •

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610-463-0508 | themailshark.com/PMQ20 SAUCE WINGS

Since 1915, The Neil Jones Food Company has been producing premium quality tomato and custom blend sauces. A family owned and operated corporation, we only pack from the freshest and finest vine-ripened California tomatoes. So whether you prefer classic #10 cans or new shelf-stable pouches, you will always get the very best in fresh packed tomato products from Neil Jones Food.

Get the latest and greatest in pizza news, recipes, videos, marketing strategies and technologies at pmq.com!

SCALES

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ALWAYS WITH YOU.

Come follow us, like us, and engage with us on these social media platforms!

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PIZZA 2020 MediaKit.PMQ.com

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PIZZA HALL OF FAME

(Clockwise from top left) Customers pose for a shot at Colony Grill in the 1950s; regulars line up for drinks and bar pies at the original location; a Colony Grill patron takes advantage of a shoeshine service in the 1930s.

Has your pizzeria been in business for 50 years or longer? If so, contact us at tracy@pmq.com.

COLONY GRILL Four boyhood pals step up to keep their favorite hometown pizzeria thriving—and are growing it far beyond their predecessors’ dreams. BY TRACY MORIN Though details are fuzzy from Colony Grill’s earliest years, the tavern was established by Irish Americans in 1935 in Stamford, Connecticut, and introduced bar pies in the late ’40s. With a superthin crust and snackable 12” diameter, pizza soon became the pub’s sole menu staple, thanks in part to its now-iconic hot oil topping, drizzled on before baking for a spicy kick.

Eugene “Bo-Bo” Bohannon manned the business from 1961 and built its cult following into the 2000s, after which four childhood friends teamed up to assume operations. The foursome has unique but complementary backgrounds: Paul Coniglio worked in financial analysis, sales and business development; Ken Martin brought culinary and foodservice experience; Chris Drury enjoyed a successful pro-hockey career; and Cody Lee owned a masonry company. “We’d gone to Colony Grill as kids, loved it, and thought it could be duplicated in like-minded neighborhoods,” recalls Martin, current CEO. “We couldn’t be more excited to carry on Colony Grill’s legacy.”

Since 2010, the team has added four more locations in Connecticut and New York, with a sixth planned for this year in Arlington, Virginia—a natural setting, as the company maintains a strong focus on military service. Each outlet features a “Wall of Heroes” celebrating locals who have served, while its annual Hot Oil 5K race has raised thousands for veterans and first responders. “We’re very close to veterans’ affairs,

with free pizza for them every Veterans Day,” Martin adds. “Last year, we partnered with Wreaths Across America; for each sold in-store, a wreath was laid at veterans’ cemeteries.”

While retaining the spirit of the original business, the new owners have also invested in updated technology and internal processes to streamline expansion. Though Colony Grill boasts 20,000-plus social media followers, traditional advertising takes a backseat to investing in the business— training staff, offering leadership development for managers—and supporting the community via programs like youth athletics.

Indeed, its team-building focus has created remarkably low turnover.

Full-timers reap full benefits and pay scales top industry averages. An end-of-year awards dinner recognizes talent, management receives a clearly outlined bonus package for hitting goals, and an annual staff survey solicits (and implements) team members’ ideas. And the business closes 10 days per year so employees can spend time with their families.

“We’d rather spend on making our people better, because if you give a good experience and make people happy, that’s the best advertising we have,” Martin explains. “When you have great people and invest in your systems, that’s a recipe for success.”

Tracy Morin is PMQ’s senior copy editor.

82 PMQ PIZZA MAGAZINE | THE WORLD’S AUTHORITY ON PIZZA

TH E PI ZZ A TE L EVISION NET WOR K A N D P MQ P I Z Z A MA G A Z I N E P R E S E N T:

THE U.S. PIZZA TEAM GOES TO LONDON A competition was held among the world’s most talented pizza spinners.

Quentin Sauret

Jérôme Falco Falco Pizza

Pizzeria Catillo

Andolini’s Pizzeria

Tara Hattan

Michael Reyes-Casanova

Le Puy-En Velay, Auvergne, France

Mimizan, France

London, England

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Pizzeria Le Golden

Dario Viola

Hearth Wood Fired Cuisine

Their video performances were then presented to three former world pizza spinning champions including some of the most familiar faces of pizza spinning.

And then they were judged...

Watch on PizzaTV.com/live | August 18th J U D G I N G B Y P I Z Z A S P I N N I N G S TA R S D A N L E I C U , J A M I E C U L L I T O N & J U A N H E R M O S I L L O

Joey Todaro, III, Wing King

We are all in this together...

We will all get through this together.

www.LANOVA.com

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